Photo: Top left clockwise:  
Elsie Bennett, Maddalena Belfiore with Myron Floren, Theresa Costello, Faithe Deffner and Maddalena Belfiore, Maddalena Belfiore, Addie Ruggiero Cere, Millie Montignone and Addie Cere, Faithe Deffner.

As the AAA prepares for its 85th anniversary celebration in 2023, I thought I would spotlight five amazing women who tirelessly worked, for decades, to help shape and steer the AAA to become the world class, well-respected organization it is today. Each month, for the next five months, I will feature one of these incredible women who began their involvement with the AAA prior to 1960 and remained very active and productive in the organization their whole lives.
Here is a brief introduction to our pioneer women:

Maddalena Belfiore — Maddalena joined the AAA as a young student of one of the AAA founders, Pietro Frosini. She held the office of AAA President twice and served on numerous committees, including contest chairperson, for decades. Maddalena studied composition and conducting at the Juilliard School of Music in NYC. She received the AMITA Golden Lady Award in 1976 for her outstanding achievements in music. Maddalena soloed at Carnegie Hall and ran a successful accordion school for several decades.

Addie Ruggiero Cere — Addie became a member of the AAA in 1942. She served as secretary and on several committees through the decades. Born in Italy, she studied at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Music in Turin. Addie was a prolific composer of accordion study and performance pieces, many of which were written in collaboration with her husband, Mindy Cere. Addie was highly regarded as a teacher and adjudicator.

Elsie Bennett — Elsie received her M.A. from Columbia University, using the accordion as her major instrument. She owned and operated the Bennett Music School and Schiff School of Music in Brooklyn, NY. In 1952, Elsie created and chaired the Composers’ Commissioning Committee for the AAA for decades and was instrumental in garnering famous contemporary composers to write music for the AAA.

Theresa Costello — Theresa joined the AAA in 1948. She served the organization as secretary from 1949 to 1959 and was on their governing board for decades, and was always active on committees. In 1947, Theresa became Frank Gaviani’s partner in O. Pagani & Bros, Inc., NYC, a pioneer accordion music publishing firm which was founded in 1919. Theresa wrote articles on various accordion topics for the Etude Magazine for several years. She never played the accordion herself.

Faithe Deffner — Faithe was tremendously influential in moving the AAA into new and unchartered territories. She was not an accordionist herself, yet her contributions were numerous and monumental. Faithe majored in journalism and owned an advertising agency prior to joining Ernest Deffner Affiliates, the musical instrument firm which her husband founded in 1934. While working full-time as the president of Deffner Publications, Pancordion, Inc., Titano Accordion Co, International and partnering in Ars Nova Publications, Faithe found the time to work tirelessly for the AAA as its President, chairperson of numerous committees, and the list goes on.

Along with their decades of accomplishments on behalf of the accordion, these women also received the coveted CIA (Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes) Merit Award, presented in recognition for outstanding contributions to the international accordion movement:
1994 – Maddalena Belfiore
1996 – Elsie Bennett
2000 – Faithe Deffner

Stay tuned for more information on these amazing women who helped to shape the accordion world as we know it today.